Renowned auteur Hou Hsiao-hsien was dubbed “Taiwan’s greatest filmmaker” by film critic Ben Kenigsberg in an article published May 28 in The New York Times.
Headlined “Looking for an Introduction to Taiwan’s Greatest Filmmaker? Start Here,” the article centered on award-winning films, “The Time to Live and the Time to Die” (1985) and “Dust in the Wind” (1986) as excellent introductions to Hou’s work. The former, a biopic, follows a young boy and his family as they adapt to a new life in an unfamiliar land, while the latter tells the story of childhood sweethearts who drift apart after they relocate from their rural hometown to Taipei City.
According to Kenigsberg, both films highlight Hou’s characteristic techniques of long takes, observing action from afar and prioritizing atmosphere over exposition. In contrast to conventional narrative filmmaking, Hou relies heavily on elements such as lighting, depth of field and physical positioning of characters to impart meaning, Kenigsberg added.
Though Hou’s signature style has been deemed too challenging for mass consumption by some critics, Kenigsberg asserts that his works simply require greater attention to detail to be accessible to the average filmgoer.
Hou, 73, won his first award for best director in 1989 at Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival with “A City of Sadness,” which became the first motion picture from Taiwan to win a Golden Lion at Italy-based Venice Film Festival earlier the same year. He has gone on to win numerous accolades, including prizes for best director of his latest work, “The Assassin,” at 2015 editions of the Golden Horse Awards and France-based Cannes Film Festival.
Film enthusiasts can stream “The Time to Live and the Time to Die” and “Dust in the Wind” on iTunes, Apple’s digital media player, and Amazon Prime Video. (TYT-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw